Fire Burning

"Fire Burning"
Single by Sean Kingston
from the album Tomorrow
Released	April 24, 2009
Genre	Electropop dance-pop R&B
Length	4:03
Label	Epic Geffen Koch
Songwriter(s)	Kisean Anderson Bilal Hajji RedOne
Producer(s)	RedOne
Sean Kingston singles chronology
"There's Nothin" (2008) "Fire Burning" (2009) "Face Drop" (2009)
Music video
"Fire Burning" on YouTube
Audio sample
file help

"Fire Burning" is a song by Jamaican-American singer-songwriter Sean Kingston, released in April 2009 as the lead single from his second studio album Tomorrow. Unlike many of his previous singles, which are all produced by J.R. Rotem, the song is produced by RedOne. The song was used for the opening number of the Miss Universe 2009 live at the Atlantis Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas. It was also used in Fred: The Movie where it shows Fred Figglehorn standing up on his bed, singing the song.

Composition

"Fire Burning" is written by Nadir Khayat, Bilal Hajji, and Kisean Anderson. The song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 123 beats per minute and is written in the key of Db major.^[1][2]

Release

Kingston had released the song on his MySpace webpage to promote it. The song was released to radio stations and for digital download on April 24, 2009. To date the song has been played more than 13 million times on his MySpace page.^[3] As of July 22, 2012, the song has sold over 3 million downloads.^[4] Sean Kingston performed the song for the first time live at the Teen Choice Awards 2009.

Music video

The music video premiered on MTV on June 15, 2009. Rick Ross makes a cameo appearance in the video along with fellow island singer Iyaz. The video was directed by Gil Green. The video also shows Kingston's Audi R8 in the video.

Remixes

• "Fire Burning" (Remix) (featuring Pitbull)
• "Fire Burning" (Remix) (featuring Adrian Banton & Pitbull)
• "Fire Burning" (Jody den Broeder Remix)
• "Fire Burning" (Jody den Broeder Radio Edit)
• "Fire Burning" (Dave Audé Club Mix)
• "Fire Burning" (Dave Audé Radio Mix)

Critical reception

Michael Menachem of Billboard reviewed the song as "the most danceable single yet" and commented on the fast tempo and Kingston's well-projected vocal "that allows producer RedOne to blend the infectious hook with heavy synthesizers and a variety of percussive sounds that made Lady Gaga's "Poker Face" so striking". He also comments that "the chorus is repetitive, it sounds just like 'Unstoppable' by Kat Deluna, but this song is often what makes for a sizzling club hit".^[5] Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy said that 'Fire Burning' has all the makings of a classic summer anthem with its swathes of GaGa-esque synths, infectious chorus hook and fuzzy bassline but he wasn't in favor of Kingston's reggae-tinged vocals.^[6]

Formats and track listings

Digital download

1. "Fire Burning" (Album version) (Kisean Anderson, Bilal Hajji, RedOne) – 4:03

CD-Single (Germany)

1. "Fire Burning" – 4:00
2. "War" – 2:59

Chart performance

"Fire Burning" debuted at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Kingston's highest debut on the chart. Since then it has entered the top ten peaking at #5. It also peaked at number two on the Canadian Hot 100 for eight consecutive weeks. It became a #1 Record in South Africa and holding off strong competition from Lady Gaga's "LoveGame". Prior to this "Fire Burning" was ranked 36th on South Africa's Year-End-Chart.

Charts and certifications

Weekly charts Chart (2009) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 48 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) 54 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[8] 29 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[9] 2 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100 Singles) 28 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[10] 13 Germany (Official German Charts) 56 Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[11] 3 Ireland (IRMA) 12 Japan (Japan Hot 100) 9 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 36 Romania (Romanian Top 100)[13] 46 South African Singles Chart 1 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan) 29 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[14] 50 Turkey Top 20 Chart[15] 2 UK Singles (OCC)[16] 12 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[17] 5 US Billboard Hot 100[18] 5 US Adult Pop Airplay (Billboard)[19] 37 US Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[20] 1 US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[21] 3 US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[22] 6 US Latin Pop Airplay (Billboard)[23] 18 US Pop Airplay (Billboard)[24] 6 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[25] 5

Year-end charts Chart (2009) Position Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[26] 6 Hungary (Single Top 40)[27] 25 Japan (Japan Hot 100)[28] 46 UK Singles (OCC)[29] 96 US Billboard Hot 100[30] 33 US Dance Club Songs[31] 34 US Mainstream Top 40[32] 34 US Rhythmic[33] 36 Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United Kingdom (BPI)[34] Platinum 600,000^‡ United States (RIAA)[35] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^* ^* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Fire Burning: Digital Sheet music". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Publishing Company. Retrieved 2009-04-14.
2. "BPM and key for Fire Burning by Sean Kingston | Tempo for Fire Burning". Song BPM. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
3. "SEAN KINGSTON | Listen and Stream Free Music, Albums, New Releases, Photos, Videos". Myspace. Retrieved Dec 9, 2020.
4. "Week Ending July 22, 2012. Songs: Call Me, Already!". yahoo.com. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
5. "Billboard". Billboard.
6. "Sean Kingston: 'Fire Burning'". digitalspy.com. 7 August 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
7. "Sean Kingston – Fire Burning". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
8. "Ultratop.be - ULTRATOP BELGIAN CHARTS". Ultratop. Archived from the original on 2012-02-07. Retrieved 2012-03-16.
9. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard.
10. "YleX". areena.yle.fi. Archived from the original on Sep 19, 2012. Retrieved Dec 9, 2020.
11. "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
12. "New Zealand Singles Chart". Archived from the original on Dec 4, 2008. Retrieved Dec 9, 2020.
13. "Romanian Top 100". Archived from the original on 2006-05-18. Retrieved 2015-02-05.
14. "Schweizer Hitparade - Singles Top 100 06.12.2020 - hitparade.ch". hitparade.ch. Retrieved Dec 9, 2020.
15. "Turkey Top 20 Chart". Billboard Turkiye. July 13, 2009. Archived from the original on March 5, 2009. Retrieved 2009-07-13.
16. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
17. "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
18. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
19. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
20. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 21, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
21. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard.
22. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard.
23. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Latin Pop Songs)". Billboard.
24. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
25. "Sean Kingston Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard.
26. "Canadian Hot 100 Year-End 2009". Billboard. 2009. Retrieved 2012-03-31.
27. "Éves összesített listák – MAHASZ Rádiós TOP 100 (súlyozott)". Mahasz. Mahasz.
28. "Japan Hot 100 – Year-End 2009". Billboard. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
29. "Charts Plus Year end 2009" (PDF). Charts Plus. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
30. "Year End Charts – Year-end songs – The Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
31. "Year End Charts – Dance club songs 2009". Retrieved February 21, 2012.
32. "Pop Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
33. "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2009". Billboard. 9 December 2014. Retrieved September 25, 2019.
34. "British single certifications – Sean Kingston – Fire Burning". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved May 17, 2024.
35. "American single certifications – Sean Kingston – Fire Burning". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved January 23, 2015.

External links

• Sean Kingston MySpace
• Official website
• Official UK website
• Sean Kingston interview by Pete Lewis, 'Blues & Soul' August 2009